The Massachusetts
Landscape of Early College
A collaborative initiative among the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education, the MA Department of Higher Education, and the MA Executive Office
of Education, with support from Jobs for the Future
Updated December 2015
Table of Contents
Overarching Mission............................................................................................... 1
Introduction............................................................................................................ 2
Early College Components…………………………………………………………………………………. 4
Early College Spectrum........................................................................................... 5
Early College Dashboard......................................................................................... 6
The Funding Challenge...........................................................................................
7
Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership........................................................ 8
Career Vocational Technical Education Postsecondary Linkages........................... 10
Gateway to College................................................................................................. 12
Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment............................................................................ 14
Locally Determined Models.................................................................................... 16
Pathways to Prosperity........................................................................................... 18
STEM Early College High Schools............................................................................ 20
STEM Starter Academy………………………………………………………………………………………. 22
Glossary..................................................................................................................
24
Appendix A: Map of Programmatic Spotlights.......................................................
26
Appendix B: Higher Education Admissions Standards………………………................... 27
Appendix C: Links to Resources………………………………………………………………………….
28
Overarching Mission
Success after High School
Massachusetts is recognized as a national leader in
education reform and we have much to be proud
of. Our students’ mastery of core academic subjects
is impressive and they compare extremely well even
against international competition. We have led the
way on adopting the Common Core Standards into
our own Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks,
implementing new regulations for the evaluation of
all administrators and teachers, and assuming a
significant leadership role in the design and
development of the Partnership for Assessment of
Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). But we
are also aware that we can do more to support our
students’ fluid movement through elementary,
secondary, and higher education into successful
careers.
Our goal is to ensure that all students have the
requisite knowledge, skills, and experiences in the
academic, workplace readiness, and personal/social
domains to successfully navigate to completion an
economically viable career pathway in a 21st century
economy. More simply, we aim to prepare all
students, including students of color, English
language learners, students with disabilities, and
our low-income population, to succeed in the world
that awaits them after high school. Early college is
among the most effective strategies for promoting
higher rates of college access and degree or
credential completion.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 1
Introduction
What is Early College?
Early college programming incorporates credit-bearing
college coursework and academic supports into the
high school experience to support increased numbers
of students, particularly those who are traditionally
underrepresented in postsecondary education, to
graduate from high school and go on to complete a
postsecondary credential with currency in the labor
market.
Many early college programs incorporate a mix of the
following six components (defined on page 4):
Identified Industry Sector
District and College Partnerships
Offered College Credits
Aligned High School and College
Curriculum
Career Development Education
Student Support Services
Each of the early college programs highlighted in this
report describes these components in more detail.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education (ESE) partners with the
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE),
the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education (EOE)
and Jobs for the Future (JFF) to support statewide and
local efforts in building and sustaining early college
programs. Visit JFF’s website for more information
about early college, including state and local strategies
for sustaining and scaling programming, 9-14 career
pathways, and national trends and outcomes.
Can Students Earn College Credits?
A foundational piece of early college programming is
high school students earning both secondary and
college credits simultaneously. Earning secondary and
college credit (called dual enrollment, dual credit, or
concurrent enrollment) is defined by Massachusetts
statute as the following:
“A qualified student enrolled in a public
secondary school may enroll as a student in
Massachusetts public institutions of higher
education. The student shall earn both
secondary school and college credits. Students
may enroll either full time or for individual
courses.” (Mass. General Law. Chapter 15A,
Section 39)
Earning college credits provides high school students
with the opportunity to enroll in college-level
coursework (non-remedial) on a college or high school
campus. This opportunity connects students with a
college learning environment, access to information
about college going criteria, and supports students in
becoming college and career ready. College courses
are free or offered at a reduced price and allow
students to save on tuition and fees.
In the 2013-14 school year, a total of 6,673 high
school students (including homeschoolers and those
enrolled in Massachusetts public and private high
schools) were enrolled in both high school and
college courses. Using the total number of public high
school juniors and seniors enrolled in Massachusetts
in 2013-14 as a comparison group, these 6,673 would
represent approximately 4.8 percent.
More information on earning college credits can be
found within each early college program description
highlighted throughout this report, particularly the
Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP)
found on page 7.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 2
Why Early College?
Early college presents the opportunity to strengthen
the relationship between high schools and colleges.
The partnership fosters a deeper understanding of
what students need to know and be able to do at both
the high school and college-level. This deeper
understanding of each others’ work enables both
parties to develop greater alignment of standards and
curriculum. School counselors foster relationships with
their counterparts at the college, allowing both
institutions to effectively support students’ transitions
to postsecondary education and into the workforce.
For first generation and underrepresented students,
early college is an opportunity to engage in collegelevel work, to develop a deeper understanding of the
college experience, and to envision themselves as
college students. As postsecondary education
becomes increasingly necessary to participate in a 21st
century economy, early college has the potential to
close the educational attainment gap between
advantaged and disadvantaged students. Early college
opportunities can increase all students’ ability to
engage in an economically viable educational and
career pathway.
 86 percent of early college graduates who
enrolled in college persisted for a second year
vs. 72 percent of college students nationally.
Trend data shows that Massachusetts students’ high
school to college completion trajectory drops
significantly between high school graduation and
college enrollment. Following the ninth grade students
in the 2007 cohort, only 35 percent graduated high
school within 5 years, immediately enrolled in college,
persistently enrolled in college, and obtained any*
college degree within six years of high school
graduation. The statistic is even more startling for our
low-income students, with only 15 percent meeting
these milestones.
The Early College, Continued Success report, a
national impact study published by the American
Institutes for Research, concluded that students who
participate in early college programs were significantly
more likely than their peers to graduate high school,
enroll in college, and earn a degree. The Early College
Expansion report, a national study conducted by Jobs
for the Future, reported similar results:
 90 percent of early college students received
a high school diploma vs. 78 percent of
students nationally.
 About one in every three early college
students earned an Associate’s degree or
other postsecondary credential prior to
graduating from high school.
Data Source: Success after High School, DART
* To be considered as obtaining a degree, a student
must obtain a certification, associate, bachelor, or any
other postsecondary degree.
 71 percent of early college graduates enrolled
in college vs. 68 percent of students
nationally.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 3
Early College Components
Identify Industry Sector
Regions select an industry area
and define its degree
requirements, driven by labor
market information, local
employer demand, and local
college offerings
Align High School and
College Curriculum
Establish High School
and College Partnership
High schools and colleges create
9-14 pathways, with clear
structures, timelines, costs, and
requirements linking and
integrating high school and
postsecondary curricula and
aligning both with labor market
requirements
Offer College Credits
High school and college faculty
identify skill gaps and create a
scope and sequence of learning
that best prepares students to be
ready for credit-bearing collegelevel coursework and labor
market expectations
Students enroll in college-level
coursework towards the 9-14
pathway degree or postsecondary
credential, experience a college
learning environment, access
information about college-going
criteria, while simultaneously
earning credits towards high
school graduation
Engage Employers and
Integrate Career
Development Education
Support Students
Academically and NonAcademically
Employers commit to providing a
continuum of learning
opportunities at the workplace
throughout the 9-14 pathways
and collaborate with educators,
supported by intermediaries in
structuring and managing
workplace learning
Adults help students develop
academic and social skills as well
as the behaviors necessary for
college completion, including
tutoring, advising, test
preparation, mentors, and career
planning
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 4
Early College Spectrum
Most high schools offer some aspect of early college programming, such as college preparation through Advanced
Placement and/or International Baccalaureate courses, college credit accumulation through dual enrollment
opportunities and articulated agreements, and/or integrated high school and college designs through career
pathways in particular industries or fields. In Massachusetts, there is a unique mix of early college programming
implemented on high school and college campuses. The following pages describe various early college models found
throughout the Commonwealth.
Traditional
Early College Models
College
Preparation
Students enrolled in
rigorous coursework
such as Advanced
Placement (AP) and/or
International
Baccalaureate (IB)
classes that may earn
college credit
Earned College
Credit
Local and
statewide
articulation
agreements
and/or dual
enrollment
programming for
students
receiving college
credits while still
enrolled in high
school
Career Pathways
Early College Models
Integrated High School and College
Designs
Some students
engaged in pathways
that integrate a high
school and college
sequence of
academic and
career-focused
coursework and
work-based/ career
development
activities in a
particular industry or
field, compressing
the time needed to
complete high school
and the first two
years of college
School-within-School
Models
Autonomous schools or
programs providing all
students with an
integrated high school
and college sequence
of academic and
career-focused
coursework and workbased/career
development activities
in a particular industry
or field, compressing
the time needed to
complete high school
and the first two years
Full-School
Models
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 5
Early College Dashboard
The state collects information on a variety of early college programming. Although comprehensive, the following
dashboard does not contain information on the many locally developed early colleges found throughout the
Commonwealth.
Inclusive
Concurrent
Enrollment
Pathways to
Prosperity &
Youth
CareerConnect
STEM-Early
College High
Schools
STEM
Starter
Academy
Students at-risk
of dropping out
and youth that
previously
dropped out
Students with
intellectual
disabilities
1st generation
college students,
interested in
STEM
1st
generation
college
students,
interested in
STEM
New to
college
students
Average of 26,
maximum of 74
3-6
At least 12
Up to 24
Up to 9














State funds
Local funds
State and local
funds
Federal and
local funds
Local funds
State funds
Grades 9-12
Ages 16-21
Ages 18-21
Grades 9-14
Grades 6-12
HS grads –
Grade 14
Campus/CVTE
Postsecondary
Linkages
Commonwealth
Dual Enrollment
Partnership
Gateway to
College
Career
vocational
technical
education
students
1st generation
college students,
interested in
STEM
# of college
credits
earned by
high school
students
3-6
3-6
Aligned
Curriculum

Career
Development
Education*

Student
Support
Services


Funding
Federal funds
Grades 9-12
Student
groups
targeted
Age or grade
level served
13 Colleges,
Scale**
26 Vocational
Technical High
Schools,
13 Colleges,
28 Colleges,
6 Colleges,
57 Districts,
258 High Schools,
37 Districts,
2 Collaborative
Programs,
Over 2,000
50
Students
Comprehensive
High Schools
Over 500
Students
Approximately
120 Students
4 Colleges,
4 High
Schools,
Over 1,100
Students
5 Colleges,
5 Districts,
1 Association
(MAVA)
Over 500
Students
15 Colleges,
Over 3,500
Students
*Career Development Education encompasses three stages that help students move from the cognitive to the experiential: career awareness (e.g. listening
to career speakers), career exploration (e.g. informational interviews with local professionals), and career immersion (e.g. internships or cooperative
education placements).
**There is some overlap between programming, for example, there is overlap between the Pathways to Prosperity and the STEM Early College High School
Programs.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 6
The Funding Challenge
Identification of sustainable funding mechanisms to
support the development of early college programs
continues to be a challenge in Massachusetts. Most
states have dual enrollment policies that provide both
financing and regulations for implementing programs.
Some states require that all high schools and
community colleges offer dual enrollment courses, and
enrollments across the nation have greatly expanded in
the last several years. In Massachusetts, the
Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP)
state line item has fluctuated since the mid-’90s and
has never provided funding that would allow students
to participate at any large scale. Outside of CDEP and
Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (for students
with disabilities), there are no dedicated state sources
of funds for early college programming.
Nonetheless, with support from the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) and Higher
Education (DHE), high schools, community colleges,
and state universities have together been able to build
some strong early college programs. With funding
from the Massachusetts Race to the Top (RTTT)
federal grant award, the state provided initial support
for the planning and implementation of six Early
College High Schools focused on Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) that link
secondary and postsecondary educational
opportunities. Additional funding was awarded for
three new Gateway to College sites across the state
from the competitive MassGrad initiative. Student
participation in the CDEP, as detailed in this report, is
currently subject to capacity constraints and a state
appropriation. To make CDEP dollars go further, some
state universities and community colleges have
discounted tuition and fees and some contribute
funds via Continuing Education and Access and
Transition budget lines. Some high schools and
colleges develop organic, local arrangements to fund
and support early college programs which have
included the use of adjunct faculty who teach in the
high school, rather than sending students to the
college. Staff at Jobs for the Future (JFF) has provided
technical assistance and support through state,
federal, and foundation funds.
Most recently, building on the Pathways to Prosperity
Network, Jobs for the Future recently received a $4.9
million Youth CareerConnect grant in spring 2014 to
expand and implement rigorous and engaging career
pathway models in three Massachusetts regions
(Brockton, Hampden County, MetroWest) focusing on
information technology, advanced manufacturing, and
health care. The grant runs through the 2017-18
school year and is expected to impact approximately
1,650 students.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 7
The Commonwealth Dual
Enrollment Partnership
The Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP),
the only state-funded source for dual enrollment in
Massachusetts, provides funding for eligible high school
students to take college-level courses at Massachusetts
public higher education institutions and earn credit
simultaneously toward a high school diploma and a future
college degree. College courses are free or offered at a
reduced cost to support greater access and savings on
tuition and fees. CDEP is managed and supported through
a partnership between the Department of Higher
Education, as the fiscal and primary agent, and the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The goal of CDEP is to expand college opportunities to a
greater number of students who would otherwise have
limited or no access to an early college experience. College
courses offered through CDEP expose high school students
to a college curriculum and provide an early start to a
college and career pathway.
Key Characteristics
CDEP eases the transition from high school to
college, allows students to get a head start on their
college careers, and provides meaningful and
challenging academic experiences to qualified
students who otherwise may not have access to an
early college experience by:
 Striving to improve access to higher education
by giving priority to students who would be
first-generation college students and those
interested in the Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
 Limiting eligible CDEP course selections in
order to promote transferability and to
facilitate counting college credit towards the
high school diploma. Remedial, non-credit
courses, physical education, courses less than
three credits, and first-year orientation courses
are ineligible.
Most students take one course through CDEP. Some
students have been granted release time from their high
schools in order to attend their college classes during their
 Requiring higher education institutions to
regular high school hours. Students may also enroll in
provide orientations to familiarize CDEP
afternoon, evening, weekend, and online classes. Colleges
students, their parents/guardians, and high
also require that the students and parents or guardians
school staff with the expectations of college
complete a Dual Enrollment application form which must
and the services they provide.
be signed by the high school guidance counselor. Students
who are under the age of 16 need the college’s permission to take college classes and must comply with college’s
underage student policies and procedures.
All 28 public higher education institutions are eligible to participate in CDEP. Massachusetts public higher institutions
support CDEP and have long included dual enrollment in their missions and operate numerous opportunities to earn
college credit and participate in early college programs and other college preparatory initiatives on their campuses in
addition to CDEP. CDEP places an emphasis on providing opportunities for first-generation college students, lowincome students, and students who are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
fields. In the 2013-14 school year, over 2,000 high school students participated in CDEP.
Spotlight: Bunker Hill Community College and Malden High School
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is a
comprehensive, multi-campus urban institution located
in Boston’s historic Charleston neighborhood, with a
second campus in Chelsea and satellite locations in East
Boston, Malden High School (MHS) and Boston’s South
End. BHCC is the largest community college in
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 8
Massachusetts and offers more than 100 certificate and
degree programs. BHCC’s Dual Enrollment Program
enables high school students from nearly 30 high schools
and community based organizations to earn high school
and college credits simultaneously, while gaining
familiarity with the college experience. The following
spotlight describes the BHCC Dual Enrollment Program
with Malden High School.
BHCC and MHS have partnered for over
five years to operate a Satellite Campus
at MHS which currently enrolls nearly
1,000 students (including high school and adult
learners) in day and evening college classes each
semester. BHCC waives tuition and fees for MHS
students in dual enrollment in lieu of rental fees for the
use of MHS facilities. This partnership enables students
to participate in an onsite BHCC Dual Enrollment
Program, attending classes alongside BHCC students.
Since its inception in 2009, BHCC’s Dual
Enrollment Program has enabled a diverse
cohort of MHS students and has grown
exponentially to 111 juniors and seniors in
2014, a 44 percent increase from 2013. These students
learn in a mixed enrollment model, meaning high
school students are taking classes with the general
college population, rather than only with their cohort
of high school students. BHCC courses are currently
available in the areas of English, English as a Second
Language, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Psychology,
Business, and Sociology.
MHS Dual Enrolled Students:
School
Year
2009
2010
2011
Student
Count
25
22
36
School
Year
2012
2013
2014
Student
Count
59
77
111
In 2014, BHCC and MHS piloted an early college
program with five MHS students taking a full-time load
of BHCC college courses toward BHCC’s Liberal Arts
major. The early college program will provide students
the opportunity to receive a MHS diploma and an
Associate degree or up to two years of BHCC credits.
Internship Program, weekly individual coaching by a
Career Place Job Coach, a Commonwealth
Corporation Pilot afterschool program that connects
students with career pathways and job coaching, and
a summer/winter Job Program.
MHS has a comprehensive parent involvement
strategy that keeps parents informed and actively
engaged in the Dual Enrollment Program. Monthly
Parent Council Meetings, quarterly “Ask the
Principal” Nights, weekly newsletters, and Naviance
online college and career readiness assistance all
keep parents up-to-date about these learning
opportunities.
LifeMap is a program and a process
that is dedicated to promoting student
success in their educational, career and
life goals. LifeMap utilizes technology
combined with personal attention students receive
from BHCC faculty and staff to ensure a positive and
productive postsecondary educational experience.
The BHCC portal allows students to access the many
technological components contained in LifeMap
including career planning tools, ePortfolio, advising
and counseling information, financial planning and
information regarding support services on and off
campus.
For more information about BHCC’s Dual Enrollment
Programs, contact:
Gretchen Lahey
Dual Enrollment Coordinator
Bunker Hill Community College
[email protected]
617-228-3319
www.bhcc.mass.edu/dualenrollment
For more information about MHS’s Dual Enrollment
Program, contact:
Ann O’Connor
Guidance Counselor
Malden High School
[email protected]
781-397-6032
http://www.maldenps.org
MHS partners with local business and
industry partners to provide students
with workplace learning opportunities.
These include a five-week Senior
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 9
CVTE Postsecondary Linkages
Formerly known as the Secondary Postsecondary Linkages
Set-Aside in the Perkins Postsecondary Allocation Grant,
this program supports students’ seamless and successful
completion of career vocational technical education (CVTE)
programs of study that begin in grades 9-12 and result in a
postsecondary credential awarded in grades 13-16.
Linkages support students by:
Linkages led by colleges were originally based on the Tech
Prep consortia model developed across Massachusetts to
facilitate linkages between secondary CVTE and
postsecondary education. Although Tech Prep no longer
exists, the consortium model that remains is comprised of
a lead agency that is a community college and a school
district which has a Perkins Act Local Plan Chapter 74
approved program. Each consortium’s work is guided by an
advisory committee that plans and coordinates the services
that are provided to ensure they meet the size, scope, and
quality necessary to have a significant impact on students’
readiness for college, apprenticeships, and employment.
Twenty percent of each college’s Perkins allocation must
be spent on Secondary/Postsecondary Linkages.
 Providing early college placement testing with
the results shared with students,
parents/guardians, and educators in order to
provide sufficient time to guide students in
addressing their academic needs to further
reduce the need for remediation.
15 Secondary Linkage programs linked to Perkins
postsecondary recipients have been developed across
Massachusetts. CVTE also developed thirteen statewide
articulation agreements for specific vocational technical
courses and is in the process of developing more
articulation agreements in order to allow students to claim
postsecondary credit in vocational technical coursework
when they enter any Massachusetts community college.
CVTE is also working on developing articulation
agreements with four year institutions.
Key Characteristics
 Coordinating development of articulation
agreements between high schools and
postsecondary institutions to eliminate the
duplication of coursework, thereby supporting
students to earn a credential, certificate, or
degree sooner at a reduced cost.
 Coordinating development of seamless
programs of study “grids,” which serve as a
road map for guiding students’ educational
pathway. The recommended sequence of high
school and college courses in addition to workbased learning experiences are tailored to the
need of the student.
 Offering dual enrollment to high school
students in selected programs by some
community colleges as an early pathway to
postsecondary education.
 Allowing students to receive credit for
coursework already completed in high school
through articulation agreements.
Spotlight: Berkshire Community College
Founded in 1960, Berkshire Community College (BCC)
was the first community college established by the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. BCC currently
offers 36 associate degree and 19 certificate
programs, including options and concentrations.
BCC strives to place higher education within reach of
all residents of Berkshire County and beyond. BCC is
committed to access, academic excellence, student
success, and leadership in the community.
The CVTE Linkage Initiative at BCC works
with local high schools to provide a
smooth transition for high school career
vocational students into their post-secondary
programs of choice. The Berkshire CVTE Linkage
Initiative Advisory Committee, formed through
collaborative partnerships between BCC and local
school districts with CVTE programs, provides
guidance to this work. BCC invites other Berkshire
County high schools to participate in Linkage projects
and activities on a space available basis.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 10
At BCC, CVTE Linkage coordinates
secondary to postsecondary linkage
activities such as dual enrollment and
articulation agreements to assist students
along their path toward earning a degree,
certificate, or credential from the college. CVTE
Linkage coordinates faculty meetings between BCC
and high schools to review curriculum alignment in
these articulated pathways.
college programs to help students prepare for postsecondary education, training, and employment.
For more information about the CVTE Linkage
Initiative at Berkshire Community College, contact:
Berkshire Community College
CVTE Linkage Initiative
413-236-2180
www.berkshirecc.edu
In addition, CVTE Linkage supports
college and career exploration activities
such as career fairs and connections to
Spotlight: Quinsigamond Community College
Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) was
established in 1963 to provide residents of Central
Massachusetts access to higher education. Since the
early ’60s, enrollment has grown from 300 to over
13,000 full and part-time day and evening students.
QCC offers over 70 associate degrees and certificate
career options in Business, Health Care, Technology,
Liberal Arts, and Human Services.
The Career Vocational Technical
Education (CVTE) Linkages Initiative
provides Chapter 74 high schools, as well
as high schools that meet the definition of career and
technical education, course articulation agreements,
early college placement testing (Accuplacer), credit
course offerings, and college readiness activities.
Through the initiative, students are able to experience
a seamless path from high school to postsecondary
education.
Articulation agreements enable students
to take courses at their high schools
earning both high school and college
credit. The advantages of articulation to
the students are three-fold: (1) reduced
college cost, (2) less time to complete the college
program and (3) the option to take advanced technical
courses in their college program. Students choose
from a list of courses that allow them to discover and
develop their talent in a career field and once enrolled
in QCC, have a head start in a related degree program.
College credit courses offered to the high schools
provide students the opportunity to earn college
credits, create a transcript, and save time and money.
A variety of college-level courses can be delivered at
the high schools or online. Students must meet all
course pre-requisites or co-requisites and can earn
from 3 to 15 college credits while still in high school.
Most of the courses offered fit the MassTransfer Block
which satisfies general education and core
requirements across Massachusetts public higher
education institutions. Taking advantage of QCC’s
credit course offerings enable high school students to
get a jump start.
College readiness activities such as Math IV and Math
Boot Camps are offered to high schools to prepare
students for college level math. Math IV is a noncredit
course that combines the content of developmental
courses: Beginning Algebra and Intermediate Algebra.
This course can reduce the average time for a student
to place into a college-level math course.
Math Boot Camps are for students who wish to
improve their skills in order to accelerate the pace at
which they travel though the developmental math
course sequence. Students attend the Math Boot Camp
for a period of one-week for four hours each day. At
the completion of the Math Boot Camp, the students
retake the Accuplacer placement exam with the goal of
improving their scores and placing into college level
math.
For more information about the CVTE Linkage Initiative
at Quinsigamond Community College, contact:
Christina Hebert
Manager of Educational Partnerships
Quinsigamond Community College
[email protected]
508-854-2853
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 11
Gateway to College
The Gateway to College (GtC) program reengages
students who have dropped out of (or who are currently
unlikely to graduate from) high school by providing a
full-fledged college-based education that is on campus,
flexible, and includes a summer option. Colleges and
districts work together to develop and regularly review
an integrated academic plan that leads to a high school
diploma and maximizes opportunities to earn college
credit leading to a credential.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education provided the MassGrad Gateway to College
Award to three community colleges who are partnered
with at least one MassGrad-eligible school district to
start a new Gateway to College program (MassGrad
funding was started in 2011 and ends 2015). Prior to
MassGrad funding, three other colleges across the state
started the Gateway to College model between 2006
and 2010. The six community colleges currently running
the Gateway to College model are Holyoke Community
College, Massasoit Community College, Mount
Wachusett Community College, Bristol Community
College, Quinsigamond Community College, and
Springfield Technical Community College.
Spotlight: Massasoit Community College
The Gateway to College program at Massasoit
Community College (Massasoit) aims to maximize
student learning by setting high academic
standards, increasing academic achievement, and
developing students’ learning skills by initiating
responsible strategies to prepare students for the
world of tomorrow. To bring this vision to fruition,
Massasoit’s objective is to promote student
achievement and academic rigor for college and
career readiness by fostering educational
excellence.
To fulfill this mission, Massasoit provides a
cooperative educational environment that
encourages participation in the community to help
students achieve their highest potential and
become life-long learners; eliminates barriers to
Key Characteristics
The GtC program uses a cohort based model to
provide students with the resources necessary to
develop academically and socially by:
 Providing students a full-fledged collegebased education that is on-campus and
flexible. Students are made to feel like
college students, because they are college
students.
 Offering wraparound student support to
meet the academic, social, and emotional
needs of students in an environment that
fosters the development of knowledge and
skills necessary to succeed in school and in
life. Dedicated student support professionals
(“resource specialists”) provide students
with intensive support throughout the
Gateway experience.
 Placing students in a community of learners
(cohort) through a Foundation experience
that prepares them to succeed in college and
become lifelong learners.
 Gateway faculty and staff working together
as highly collaborative teams with the goal of
maximizing student success while improving
their own practice.
academic and personal success by delivering the
necessary wrap-around support services, including
individual counseling and necessary community
referrals for additional support; and offers the
necessary components for academic success that
include small class sizes, tutoring, academic
advising, flexible part-time class schedules, and a
challenging curriculum.
A memorandum of agreement with
partnering school districts funds the
Gateway to College program. Current
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 12
partners include Brockton, Hanover, Middleboro,
Norton, Randolph, Weymouth, West Bridgewater,
Whitman-Hanson Regional, and Everett.
Required coursework is determined by
Accuplacer scores, the sending school
district and credits granted on the high
school transcript. Graduation Plans are
subject to change depending on number of classes
taken and passed successfully each semester.
Students take all of their classes at Massasoit.
Beginning in the spring 2014 semester, Massasoit
began offering developmental and college courses
in accelerated sessions (5-week sessions, three in a
15-week semester). Math and English (all
developmental levels), US History 1 and 2,
Chemistry, Speech, and Computer Keyboarding
were all offered as accelerated courses.
Of the 14 students who graduated in December
2014, six students returned to Massasoit for the
spring 2015 semester and one student transferred
to Bridgewater State University. Thirty-eight
students are on track to graduate in June 2015.
Graduates of the program earn an average of 27
college credits.
goals by transforming them into lifelong learners.
Under the guidance of resource specialists, as well
as a caring team of instructors, students learn the
skills they need to succeed in college, career and
life, all while earning a high school diploma and
significant college credits.
Career readiness is built into the
students’ experience through a series
of program specific seminars.
Students begin by taking Foundation
Seminar that covers a range of topics intended to
prepare students for success in the program and on
a college campus. Students are introduced to career
assessments utilized by the college and build on the
results in Civic Engagement Seminar. This seminar
encompasses resumes, cover letters, thank you
letters and mock interviews. Students use this
experience to perform a minimum of 10 hours
volunteer work each semester to gain experience in
a field of choice. In Transition Seminar, students
complete and present a portfolio that includes
reflection on their civic engagement experience to
inform their college and career path.
For more information about the Gateway to College
program at Massasoit Community College, contact:
Each Gateway to College site is staffed
by a program director who works with
liaisons from sending districts and
schools to identify and support
students’ transition from the traditional high school
to the college setting. Each site also employs one or
more resource specialists who are primarily
responsible for providing both academic and socioemotional supports to students.
Christina Alves
Director of Gateway to College
Massasoit Community College
[email protected]
508-588-9100 ext.1687
http://www.massasoit.edu/academics/academicinformation/gateway-to-college/index
The Gateway to College program at Massasoit is
committed to helping all students achieve their
http://www.gatewaytocollege.org
For more information about the Gateway to College
National Network, visit:
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 13
Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment
Funded by the Commonwealth since 2007, the Inclusive
Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (ICEI) offers grant
funded programs supporting public high school students
with severe disabilities, ages 18- 22, who have not
passed MCAS the opportunity to participate in inclusive
college courses (credit or non-credit) to increase their
school and work success. In the Initiative’s early years,
partnerships were formed solely between districts and
community colleges. Now, five four-year public
universities are involved in Inclusive Enrollment Initiative
partnerships.
Students benefit academically and transition to young
adulthood more readily when they have the opportunity
to engage in all college-related activities rather than
staying at high school. Students continue to avail
themselves of opportunities to take courses alongside
their nondisabled peers; to develop self-determination
and self-advocacy skills; to improve academic, social,
and functional skills; and to participate in career
planning, vocational skill-building activities, and
community-based integrated competitive employment
opportunities.
Key Characteristics
The ICEI program provides Massachusetts
students with severe disabilities between the
ages of 18 and 22 the opportunity to take part
academically and socially in the life of the college
by:
 Leveraging resources that currently exist on
the campus to ensure that students are
appropriately supported, which may include
access to testing accommodations,
interpreter services, note taking services,
and partnering students with an educational
coach who may be a high school or college
staff member or college peer.
 Providing professional development to
partnership members to build and sustain
the ICEI initiative, which include technical
assistance activities, provided by the ICI,
needed to support students with severe
disabilities in inclusive college courses and in
the life of college.
The Executive Office of Education (EOE) is the lead
agency and collaborates with both the Department of Higher Education (DHE) and the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE). EOE also works with the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at
UMass Boston to provide technical assistance to the partnerships around transition activities. DHE acts in an
advisory capacity with partner campuses on matters of academic quality, enrollment, and higher education
policies.
Eleven programs are grant-funded, including Bridgewater State University, Bunker Hill Community College, Cape
Cod Community College, Middlesex Community College, Roxbury Community College, University of MA Amherst,
University of MA Boston, Westfield State University, Framingham State University, Northern Essex Community
College, and Berkshire Community College. Two other independently funded programs are located at Holyoke
Community College and MassBay Community College. These 13 institutes of higher education partner with a
total of 57 districts and 2 educational collaboratives.
Spotlight: Westfield State University
The Westfield State University (WSU) ICEI program
began in September 2013, serving five students.
The program has expanded to serving 20 students
from six sending districts. The way in which
students spend their days in the program is
individualized to each specific student. The
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 14
experiences through the ICEI program are aimed to
provide students with the skills needed to meet
their long-term employment goals. The goal is to
locate paid employment by the end of a student’s
participation in the program. The WSU program
addresses students’ academic, health/wellness,
social/emotional, and employability skills by using a
Person-Centered Plan to identify preferences,
strengths, and goals.
The college takes the lead in ICEI
partnerships. College partners are
responsible for leading the grant
development process, and if awarded funds, the
college will be responsible for receiving and
distributing the funds as proposed. The partnership
consists of a core team of a higher education
implementation specialist, a high school liaison, an
educational coach, and an employment specialist.
Other partners that are encouraged to participate in
the partnership include a parent consultant and a
youth leader.
Westfield State University partners with
Agawam Public Schools, Amherst
Regional Public Schools, Chicopee
Public Schools, Gateway Regional Public
Schools, Hampden Charter School of Science,
Ludlow Public Schools, Southwick-Tolland Regional
Public Schools, and Westfield Public Schools. A total
of 20 students participated in the fall 2014 semester
and there are 17 currently enrolled for the spring
2015 semester.
Students are enrolled in classes with age
appropriate peers and accompanied by an
Education Coach to provide support and assist with
any needed accommodations. Course selection is
aligned to the student’s long-term employment
goals. Courses offered at WSU include academic,
business, technology, arts, career exploration, and
wellness and personal development courses.
An Employment Specialist helps
students identify career interests,
enhance employability skills (i.e.
interviewing, job searching), creating
resumes and portfolios, identifying potential
internships, and paid employment aligned with
students long-term goals. The Employment
Specialist hosts biweekly employment seminars,
with the goal for students to obtain employment by
their last semester in the ICEI program.
Peer mentors accompany students on
campus during a range of activities
such as tutoring, exercising, breakfast
and lunch in the dining commons,
campus-based social activities, and ICEI identified
activities. The Peer Mentors have become an official
club pIeCEs: Positive Inclusion of Everyone Creates
Educational Success to identify and plan to support
night and weekend activities that ICEI students can
come back to campus for.
For more information about the Inclusive
Concurrent Enrollment Program at Westfield State
University, contact:
Lyndsey Nunes
Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator
Westfield State University
[email protected]
413-572-8439
http://www.westfield.ma.edu
For more information about the Inclusive
Concurrent Enrollment state grant, contact:
Glenn Gabbard
Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator
MA Executive Office of Education
[email protected]
617-979-8335
http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/highereducation/initiatives-and-specialprograms/inclusive-concurrent-enrollment
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 15
Locally Determined Models
Increasingly, high schools and higher education
institutions are developing innovative ways to increase
high school students’ access to postsecondary programs.
For higher education institutions, it is a way to increase
the visibility of their programs, and for high schools, it is
an opportunity to provide an array of services to suit the
unique needs of their students. These programs
leverage unique local structures that address the
individual needs of the partners.
The diverse nature of these programs makes it
challenging to capture the wide variety of what is
currently taking place. One method being used at high
schools across the Commonwealth is the exchange of
facilities in return for some level of higher education
support. This support comes in the form of seats in a
traditional college class, contract courses, professional
development, or tutoring support. Other programs
support the implementation of college-going curriculum,
including placement testing, information on financial
aid, and college advising.
Due to their nature, we are unsure of the number of
students participating throughout the Commonwealth.
Spotlight: Haverhill Early College Program
For the past several years, Haverhill High School (HHS)
has been working to close its achievement gap. With a
student population of 1,845 students, of which 55
percent are low-income, HHS implemented an Early
College Program to (1) provide dual enrollment
opportunities, (2) provide college-level academic and
career support such as tutoring, mentoring, and
career guidance, (3) increase high school graduation
rates leading to higher enrollments in postsecondary
education, and (4) incorporate rigorous career
awareness, exploration, and immersion activities into
the curriculum and pathways and (5) reduce the need
for remedial coursework when students enroll in
college.
The Early College Program at HHS
started in 2012, with a partnership
Key Characteristics
Although diverse, some common characteristics
of these models include:
 Providing a blend of high school and college
in a rigorous, yet supportive program,
compressing the time it takes to complete a
high school diploma and up to the first two
years of college.
 Committing to servicing students that are
typically underrepresented in higher
education, including low-income young
people, first-generation students, English
language learners, students of color, and
students at-risk of dropping out.
 Developing the program collaboratively with
local education partners, higher education
institutions, and the community to sustain a
long term collaborative team to leverage
data and provide continuous program
feedback adjustments.
 Developing a highly integrated high school
and college program that pushes all students
to obtain up to two years of college credit for
an associate’s degree and provides a
pathway through transfer articulation that
allows credits to be used at a four-year
institution.
between Haverhill High School and Northern Essex
Community College (Northern Essex). In this cohort
model, students in the program attend college
classes taught at the high school and pay about half
of the standard college tuition.
High school sophomores start the program
taking two college courses – U.S. History I
and American Literature I. Students in the
program will continue to take courses for
college credit throughout high school and graduate
from high school with 24 or more college credits. The
courses in the program are part of the MassTransfer
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 16
Block and are taught by faculty from Northern Essex
and the high school. High school faculty must meet the
same hiring requirements as Northern Essex faculty
and be vetted through Northern Essex to be eligible to
teach Northern Essex courses at HHS.
A program course sequence might look like this:
Cohort
Fall
LIT 201
HIS 101
Sophomore
LIT 202
HIS 102
Junior
Senior
Spring
SOC 101
ART 106
ENG 101
Course selections
per Northern
Essex’s advising
schedule
In school year 2014-15, 87 students, including
sophomores, juniors, and seniors, took college courses
at the high school taught by teachers from Northern
Essex and the high school. Of those students, 18
seniors will graduate this year with an average of 27
college credits. Of the 18 seniors, 1 will graduate will
31 credits, 1 will graduate with 30 credits, 13 will
graduate with 27 credits, 2 will graduate with 24
credits, and 1 will graduate with 18 credits. All of these
students have bypassed any need for taking remedial
coursework when enrolling in college. The credits
earned from Northern Essex are transferable to other
public and private colleges and universities. See
Northern Essex’s website for a list of transfer
agreements.
Haverhill High School has worked for the
last year under a Gateway Cities Career
Academy Grant to design and implement
career awareness, exploration, and immersion
activities in grade 7 through 12. Haverhill uses
Naviance software to engage all students in high
school to begin to plan for future careers by taking
interest surveys. Naviance follows each student
through high school, recording his or her college and
career readiness activities to aid in developing
individualized four year and postsecondary plans.
In 2010, Haverhill High School was the recipient of a
21st Century Community Learning Centers grants
for out-of-school time programming. Part of that
funding was used to begin an Internship Program,
which has grown to offer 60 internships per year.
Haverhill’s Internship Coordinator developed and
cultivated over 70 local businesses and service
organizations committed to training and educating
students through career fairs, guest speakers,
and/or hosting internships.
Students in the early college program
are provided with an on-campus
orientation that includes information
on student services as well as a focus
on academic opportunities, expectations, and
support services. Students have ready access to and
support in using Northern Essex’s learning
resources including but not limited to library and
information resources and services, tutoring,
academic advising, and counseling services.
For more information about the Haverhill Early
College Program, contact:
HHS School Counseling Department
Haverhill High School
978-374-5700
http://hhs.haverhill-ps.org/
In addition to partnering with HHS, Northern Essex
also partners with Amesbury High School, Greater
Lawrence Technical High School, Lawrence High
School, Lawrence High School Learning Center,
Methuen High School, Newburyport High School,
Pentucket Regional High School, Phoenix AcademyLawrence, Triton Regional High School, Whittier
Regional Vocational Technical High School, Sanborn
Regional High School, and Timberlane Regional High
School in New Hampshire.
For more information about Northern Essex Early
College Programs, contact:
Lori Weir
Director of K-12 Partnerships
Northern Essex Community College
[email protected]
978-556-3943
http://www.necc.mass.edu
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 17
Pathways to Prosperity
In February 2012, the MA Executive Office of Education
(EOE) was approached by Jobs for the Future (JFF) and
Harvard Graduate School of Education to engage in a
multi-state career pathways network known as Pathways
to Prosperity (PtP). The concept for creating a multi-state
network was premised on Harvard’s 2011 report entitled
Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of
Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century. The
report calls for an intensive effort on the part of
employers, educators, and government leaders to build
pathways that link work and learning and are aligned
with current and projected regional labor market
demand. The Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education (ESE) was appointed project lead in 2013.
Three Massachusetts institutes of higher education,
along with their intermediary and high schools partners,
are designing grade 9-14 career pathways. These include
Hampden County (West Springfield High School,
Springfield Technical Community College, Regional
Employment Board of Hampden County) focusing on
advanced manufacturing; Boston (The Community
Academy of Science and Health, the Edward M. Kennedy
Academy for Health Careers, Bunker Hill Community
College, Harvard MEDScience, Boston Private Industry
Council) focusing on health care; and Metro West
(Marlborough STEM Early College High School,
Framingham State University, Partnerships for a Skilled
Workforce, Inc.) focusing on information technology,
advanced manufacturing, and health care.
Key Characteristics
PtP and YCC support young people in completing
high school, attaining a postsecondary credential
with currency in the labor market, and launching
into careers while leaving open the prospect of
future education by:
 Creating high school and higher education
9-14 career pathways, with clear structures,
timelines, costs, and requirements linking
and integrating high school and
postsecondary curricula and aligning both
with labor market requirements,
particularly in the advanced manufacturing,
information technology, and health care
fields.
 Providing learning opportunities at the
workplace and supporting the transition of
young people into the labor market through
local or regional intermediary organizations
that serve as conveners, brokers, and
technical assistance providers to schools
and employers engaged in building and
sustaining pathways.
 Exposing students, starting in the middle
grades, to a wide range of career options,
information, and opportunities to learn
about high school and postsecondary
courses of study leading to careers.
In 2014, Jobs for the Future received a $4.9 million Youth
CareerConnect (YCC) grant to expand and implement rigorous and engaging career pathway models that take
young people from 9th grade through industry credentials and an associate’s degree in high demand fields. The
grant will fund pathways in three regions across Massachusetts, including Hampden County and MetroWest (as
noted above), and the Brockton area (Brockton High School, Massasoit Community College, Brockton Area
Workforce Investment Board) focusing on health care, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.
Spotlight: Boston Pathways to Prosperity
In Boston, Pathways to Prosperity is a sixyear pathway program for high school
students, starting in grade 9, who have
expressed an interest in healthcare
professions. Students have an opportunity to
complete Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC)
prerequisite coursework prior to enrolling at the
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 18
college by engaging in a scope and sequence of
coursework and work-based learning experiences.
Grade
9
Grade
10
Grade
11
Grade
12











BHCC
Year 1
BHCC
Year 2




Aligned curricula
Clinical engagement with pathways
Healthcare Education Program (P.E.P.) Part I
Harvard Medscience Mini Module
Aligned curricula
Clinical engagement with pathways
Healthcare Education Program (P.E.P.) Part II
Harvard Medscience Mini Module
Begin dual enrollment courses based on
chosen program
Harvard MedScience BIO108
Continue dual enrollment courses based on
chosen program
STAND Program NUR095
Continue prerequisites toward healthcare
program
Apply to healthcare program
Clinical internship
Complete healthcare program*
*LPN and Allied Health Certificate Programs
Clinical internship
BHCC partnered with the Department of Secondary
and Elementary Education, Jobs for
the Future (JFF), Boston Public Schools
(BPS), the Harvard Medscience
Program, and the Boston Private Industry Council
(PIC) to develop a six year, grade 9-14 career
pathway for students from high school through
community college, and into the healthcare
workforce. Participating high schools include the
Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
and the Community Academy of Science and
Health. In school year 2014-15, close to 500
students are participating in the program.
A team of high school and college
educators aligned mathematics and
English language arts curricula for the
9th and 10th grades. By aligning
curriculum in the early high school
grades, students are less likely to need
developmental coursework during their first year at
BHCC (RDG 090/095 –Reading One and Two; ENG
090/095 – Writing Skills One and Two; MAT 093 –
Foundations of Mathematics).
The Pathways to Prosperity
Healthcare Education (P.E.P) Program
provides work based learning
opportunities for 9th and 10th grade students, in
clinical settings, around the City of Boston through
the Boston PIC and the Harvard MedScience
Program. Students explore the wide variety of
health care career choices through hospital tours,
job shadowing, and career panels and hands-on
simulation experiences in order for students to
better understand which career appeals to their
interests and skills. Through the P.E.P., students will
be able to make an informed decision about which
healthcare career path is right for them.
Students Taking Action for Nursing
Diversity (STAND) is a component of
Pathways to Prosperity for students
interested in the nursing field. Students
who complete the STAND program requirements
and BHCC’s course prerequisites and who achieve
passing scores on the Test of Essential Academic
Skills (TEAS) will be guaranteed acceptance into
BHCC’s highly competitive Nursing Program.
Students will also have the option to receive a
certificate from one of the BHCC Allied Health
programs, such as Medical Assistant, Medical
Coding, Phlebotomy Technician, Surgical Technician,
Patient Care Technician, and Central Processing.
STAND mentors are available to
advise students on coursework,
scheduling and other issues. Tutoring
is available with mathematics,
science, and nursing faculty, as well as tutoring for
Accuplacer and TEAS prep. Thirty senior high school
students are recruited each year. Students receive
monetary assistance for transportation and course
book costs.
For more information about the Boston Pathways
to Prosperity Program and STAND, contact:
La Toya Robinson
Director of STAND and Pathways to Prosperity
Bunker Hill Community College
[email protected]
617-228-2313
www.bhcc.mass.edu/stand
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 19
STEM Early College High Schools
Given the state’s need for highly skilled workers in STEM
areas, districts have been encouraged to consider
developing models that motivate and prepare students
to explore STEM career pathways while still enrolled in
high school and to pursue STEM majors in college.
Six districts were chosen in a competitive process to
open a STEM-Early College High School (ECHS) and each
received approximately $120,000 of Race to the Top
funds to be spent over four years for school planning,
start up, and full implementation. These districts include
Boston (Dearborn Middle School), Marlborough
(Marlborough High School), Worcester (North High
School), Randolph (Randolph High School), Quaboag
(Quaboag Innovation STEM Early College High School),
and a consortium of schools under the leadership of the
Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators
Association (Southeastern Regional Vocational School).
Spotlight: Marlborough STEM Early College
Marlborough’s STEM Early College High School
(ECHS) is a Massachusetts Advanced Pathways
Program (MAPP) focused on strengthening the
STEM pipeline by exposing all students to a rigorous
21st century learning experience and providing
them with the skills essential for college and career.
The specialized curriculum infuses the MA
Curriculum Frameworks with the Engineering
Design Process and Scientific Method across all
content areas through project and problem-based
learning. With startup costs provided by a Race to
the Top grant from the Massachusetts Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education, the ECHS is
now a part of the Pathways to Prosperity State
Network created by Jobs for the Future and the
Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is using
its $1.8 million share of YCC federal funds (see page
15). The ECHS currently serves 600 students, grades
6 through 12.
Marlborough’s ECHS begins at
Whitcomb Middle School (grades 6-8)
and continues at Marlborough High
Key Characteristics
The STEM-ECHS were designed to lead to
improvements in students’ achievement in STEM
subjects and increase enrollment in STEM college
majors by:
 Developing a program within an existing high
school or a new high school and developing a
sequence of courses that students will
complete that includes a minimum of 12
college credits and up to 30 college credits or
more with an emphasis on STEM courses.
 Developing strong partnerships with an
institution of higher education and other
partnership, such as other districts,
businesses, workforce development, and
community-based organizations.
 Creating a strategy for recruiting and
retaining students in the program, with a
particular focus on first generation college
attending students.
School (grades 9-12). Marlborough High School
ECHS students have access to college credit courses
at Framingham State University (FSU). Marlborough
High School is currently developing a partnership
with Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) to
expand STEM pathways opportunity for its ECHS
students.
The ECHS utilizes a teaming model in
grades 6 through 10. Teacher teams –
composed of Mathematics, Science,
History, English Language Arts, and
Engineering teachers – receive common
planning time each day to help support the
academic and social needs of all students as well as
to develop interdisciplinary project and problembased learning experiences.
Curriculum aligned between the middle and high
school results in the following sequence of STEMrelated coursework:
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 20
STEM-Related Coursework
Grades 6-8
Project/Problem-Based Learning
Engineering
Computer Science
Grades 9
Project/Problem-Based Learning
Algebra 1
Electrical Engineering
Physics
Technical Drawing
Grade 10
Project/Problem-Based Learning
Geometry
Engineering
Biology
Technical Drawing
Grades 11-12
Dual Enrollment Opportunities
The ECHS honors curriculum requires all
high school students to take a year of
engineering coursework. One semester
focuses on 3D modeling using professional
grade CAD and architecture. The second semester
focuses on an introduction to electricity and
robotics. In addition to this requirement, all
freshmen and sophomores participate in a required
course called STEM project-based learning (PBL).
The course meets once every nine days for an 85minute block. Juniors and seniors advance to a
rigorous STEM-focused schedule that allows for
advanced placement and honors courses in both
STEM and non-STEM areas.
With its school-within-a-school model, STEM classes
are distinct from other high school classes, yet
students who are not participating directly in the
STEM program still benefit. Teachers share
curriculum ideas, instructional techniques, and
other best practices for interdisciplinary, projectbased classes. The program also fosters greater
school-wide awareness of what it means to become
college and career ready in the 21st century.
Several high school ECHS teachers participated in
the STEM Certificate Program offered by
Framingham State University and PTC. The
certificate program provides professional
development to K-12 educators and includes online
lectures instructed by industry and education
experts, hands-on sessions focused on how to
author STEM curriculum, industry and higher
education mentoring, presentation opportunities
for teachers to exhibit best practices in STEM
education, and provides educators with tools and
resources to design project-based curricula in STEM
subjects and beyond. After completing the
certificate program, participants have custom units
for their classrooms as well as access to every unit
designed by their peer-educators in the STEM
Certificate community.
Students in grades 11 and 12 have the
opportunity to earn up to 18 college
credits while still in high school rooted in
a STEM-based MassTransfer-approved
program. These programs include Computer
Science, Engineering, Biotechnology, Pre-Pharmacy,
Nursing, and Technology Manufacturing.
Marlborough High School is developing a
memorandum of understanding with Quinsigamond
Community College (QCC) to support this vision.
The ECHS maintains industry
partnerships with PTC (formerly
Parametric Technology Corporation),
Boston Scientific, Raytheon, Intel, Dow,
Marlborough Hospital, and the Marlborough
Regional Chamber of Commerce. The ECHS also
utilizes a Career Speaker Bureau, developed in
collaboration with Partnerships for a Skilled
Workforce (PSW). The Bureau invites industry
experts into the classroom to mentor and guide
ECHS students on project-based learning (PBL) days.
For more information about the Marlborough STEM
Early College, contact:
Dan Riley
Director of STEM Early College High School
Marlborough High School
[email protected]
508-460-3500, ext. 7510
www.mps-edu.org
http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/PTPN-Pavingthe-Way-061614.pdf
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 21
STEM Starter Academy
In the summer of 2013, the Department of Higher
Education worked with the community colleges to create
the STEM Starter Academy (SSA) program. All fifteen
community colleges came together to write a common
proposal. The objective of SSA is to inform, engage, recruit,
retain, and graduate significantly more students with STEM
degrees and put them on a successful career pathway.
During the first year of the program (summer 2014-spring
2015), each campus had the flexibility to shape what the
SSA looked like at their school in order to best serve the
needs of their students. In Year 2 (summer 2015-spring
2016), the campuses will be working together to articulate
a common SSA model, which will help to ensure that
students have similar experiences regardless of the campus
they attend.
Key Characteristics
The STEM Starter Academies were designed to
lead to inform, engage, recruit, retain, and
graduate more students with STEM degrees by:
 Actively recruiting students who will be
enrolling in college for the first time.
 Offering the opportunity to participate in a
summer bridge program that focuses on
academic preparation and student success.
 Providing intensive advising during the
academic year.
During its first year, nearly 10,000 non-enrolled individuals, including high school students, adult learners, and
parents, were engaged in recruitment efforts comprising of outreach activities and information-sharing about
opportunities to explore STEM programs at the community colleges. At least 979 additional students were newly
enrolled in the community colleges in fall 2014 and participated in STEM Starter Academy activities. These new
students entered college able to take advantage from the start of their studies of all academic supports provided
by the Academy. Additionally, over 2,600 previously enrolled community college students also benefited from
this program by participating in SSA programs in 2014. This number includes the 786 students who participated
in the most intensive, extended-duration “summer bridge” programs, exploring STEM research projects,
completing developmental and college credit mathematics, and building college readiness skills.
As SSA participants progress through the semesters at the community colleges, the Department will be tracking
student retention rates, enrollment rates in STEM programs, and graduation rates.
Spotlight: Springfield Technical Community College STEM Starter Academy
The SSA program at Springfield Technical
Community College (STCC) focused primarily around
a summer-long intensive bridge program for
incoming STCC students. To be admitted, students
had to have graduated from high school in the
previous 3 years, needed to be Massachusetts
residents, had to enroll at STCC, and had to have a
minimum GPA of 2.0.
Students were required to attend and
participate in all aspects of the program,
5-days per week, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
for 7 weeks. The program started with an
Accuplacer test followed by two weeks of math
review and a STEM contextualized college success
course. After the first two weeks, students were
retested and placed into math courses for the
remaining five weeks. In addition to that math
course, students continued with the College Success
course, and participated in an accelerated 3 credit
Introduction to Engineering Technologies course.
Throughout the program, mandatory study hall,
math lab, and lunch times were scheduled into
students’ days. All study halls and math labs had
either instructors or tutors embedded. Fridays were
dedicated career exploration days, which involved
field trips, speakers, activities, and discussions.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 22
Of 120 applicants to the program, 65
students were selected to participate,
33 students enrolled and 30
completed all activities. The group was diverse in
terms of race/ethnicity, gender and high school
context. Half of the enrolled students were students
of color, 60 percent were female, and half were
from urban high schools. Nineteen high schools
were represented among the 33 students.
The program was free to students,
including lunch, and students were
eligible to receive stipends of up to
$1,000 at the end of the summer
based on a point system related to attendance and
engagement. The point system required students to
meet regularly with a dedicated STEM coach who
advised students on how to navigate issues related
to being a student, including counseling around life
issues that could interfere with academic life. The
coach was in contact with students daily, showing
up during study hall and open lab times where
students often pulled her aside to discuss issues
they were facing. Although the coach did not
register students for classes, she did help students
navigate the registration process, advising them not
only about courses, but also on communicating with
their advisors in thinking about their schedules in
big-picture terms. The coach also mentioned
advising students who may have been too
ambitious in the number of credits for which they
had registered.
In a focus group, students said they had reaped
many benefits from participating in the SSA summer
program. They appreciated the career awareness,
math and college preparatory activities, the free
credits, and the resume-boosting power of the
program. They also felt very well supported and
could not think of support they would have wanted
but were not receiving.
Many students said the career
awareness activities exposed them to
possible academic and job paths they
might not have considered. SSA career-focused
activities (including aspects of the college success
course) also helped students to link academic
programs to future career possibilities.
For more information about STEM Starter
Academies, please contact:
David Cedrone
Associate Commissioner of Economic and
Workforce Development and STEM
Department of Higher Education
[email protected]
617-994-6904
http://www.mass.edu/stem/initiatives/stemacade
my.asp
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 23
Glossary
Back on Track through College: Engages youth who have dropped out of high school or are struggling to
graduate on time by completing credits needed for high school graduation at an institution of high education,
while simultaneously earning college credits.
http://www.jff.org/initiatives/back-track-designs
Career Development Education: Career Development Education offers students a framework for gaining the
knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to navigate the myriad options available for post-secondary
success. Research shows that quality Career Development Education also enhances academic performance.
Career Development Education encompasses three stages that help students move from the cognitive to the
experiential: Career Awareness, Career Exploration, and Career Immersion.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/connect/cde/
Career/Vocational Technical Education: Career/Vocational Technical Education (CVTE) offers students
opportunities for career awareness and preparation by providing them with the academic and technical
knowledge and work-related skills necessary to be successful in postsecondary education, training, and
employment. CVTE programs provide students with a curriculum that combines integrated academic and
technical content and strong employability skills. A list of Chapter 74 Career/ Vocational Technical Education
programs in the state is available here: http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/
http://www.doe.mass.edu/cte/
College and Career Readiness: Students have the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for success in
postsecondary education and economically viable career pathways in a 21st century economy. In winter/spring
2013, The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
(BESE) approved the state's new college and career readiness definition. Voting on the definition marks the first
time that the two boards overseeing the state's K-12 schools and public colleges and universities have partnered
in formal agreement on what it means for students to be prepared for success in postsecondary education and
the workplace. The definition sends a clear, unified message about our expectations and the level of preparation
and performance that signals a student's readiness for college and careers. The definition provides a solid
foundation for continued collaboration between the K-12 and higher education systems.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/
Concurrent Enrollment: Provides high school students the opportunity to take college-credit bearing courses
taught by college-approved high school teachers. Concurrent enrollment partnerships differ from other models
of dual enrollment because high school instructors teach the college courses.
http://www.nacep.org/about-nacep/what-is-concurrent-enrollment/
Dual Enrollment: Provides high school students with the opportunity to enroll in college-level coursework on a
college or high school campus while simultaneously enrolled in high school. The Commonwealth Dual
Enrollment Partnership (CDEP), the only state-funded source for dual enrollment in Massachusetts, provides
funding for eligible high school students to take college-level courses free of charge at Massachusetts public
higher education institutions and earn credit simultaneously toward a high school diploma and a future college
degree.
http://www.mass.edu/dualenrollment
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 24
Early College High Schools: Offers students a systemic blend of high school and college (scope and sequence of
coursework) in a rigorous yet supportive program, compressing the time need to complete high school and the
first two years of college (students can earn up to an Associate’s degree or up to two years of transferable
college credit).
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/initiatives/EarlyCollegeDesignLandscape.pdf
IHE: Institutes of Higher Education. The Massachusetts system comprises 29 campuses divided into three
segments: 15 community colleges, nine state universities and the five University campuses. Each of the state
universities and community colleges has its own Board of Trustees, as does the University of Massachusetts
system. Links to individual campuses' websites and a map of the campus locations are available on the Public
Higher Education campus directory.
http://www.mass.edu/system/campusdirectory.asp
Individual Learning Plan (ILP): A student-directed, dynamic, multi-year planning tool designed to increase
students’ understanding of the connections and relevance of what they do now to their future success. The ILP
maps academic plans, personal/social growth, and career development activities while taking into account the
student's unique, self-defined interests, needs, and goals for the attainment of post-secondary success. While
ILP implementation is not required in Massachusetts, an increasing number of schools and districts across the
Commonwealth are implementing ILPs to support the college and career readiness of their students. The
Department published a guide for implementing ILPs in fall 2014.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/schoolcounseling/ilpguidance2014.pdf
MassGrad: In fall 2010, the U.S. Department of Education selected Massachusetts as just one of two states for
the federal High School Graduation Initiative (HSGI) award and one of 29 projects total nationwide chosen for
funding out of 184 total applicants. The Massachusetts grant project - MassGrad - focuses on the 133 high
schools throughout the Commonwealth that exceeded the statewide annual dropout rate of 2.9 percent in the
2008-09 school year. The grant has four key activities, which include, creating a state high school graduation
coalition, expanding the dropout prevention and recovery work group, implementing research-based practices
in the HSGI school cohort, and establishing new Gateway to College sites.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/massgrad/
Service-Learning: Service-learning is a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with
academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. It is a method
whereby students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service that is
conducted in and meets the needs of communities. It is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum
of the students and provides structured time for students or participants to reflect on the service experience.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/csl/
STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/
Success after High School: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s
overarching mission to ensure that all Massachusetts students are prepared for success and opportunities after
high school – including career and higher education opportunities. DART Detail: Success After High School turns
a vast amount of high school, postsecondary, and career development education data into valuable, easily
consumable information for tracking select indicators over time, and makes sound, meaningful comparisons to
the state or ‘comparable’ high schools.
http://www.mass.gov/edu/government/departments-and-boards/ese/programs/accountability/tools-andresources/district-analysis-review-and-assistance/dart-for-districts-and-dart-for-schools.html
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 25
Appendix A
Programmatic Spotlights
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 26
Appendix B
The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education approves admissions standards for the state universities
and University of Massachusetts. The Admissions Standards for the Massachusetts State University System and
the University of Massachusetts emphasizes strong academic preparation while in high school. These standards
represent minimum requirements; meeting them does not guarantee admission, since college officials consider
a wide range of factors in admissions decisions. These standards do not apply to the community colleges in
Massachusetts, which implement open admission and enrollment policies. For additional information about
admissions at the community colleges, please contact the admissions office at that college.
The admissions standards for freshmen applicants to the state universities and University of Massachusetts have
several components:
 Fulfillment of all requirements for the high school diploma or its equivalent;
 Submission of an SAT or ACT score;
 16 required academic courses this will increase to 17 (to include four mathematics courses)for students
planning to enroll on or after Fall 2016; and
 Minimum required grade point average (GPA) earned in college preparatory courses completed at the
time of application.
Each state university or UMass undergraduate campus to which a student applies will calculate the GPA for
purposes of applying the admissions standards.
Grade point averages are calculated based upon grades earned in all high school level academic courses. Grades
earned in honors, Advanced Placement or dual enrollment courses are given extra weight when college
admission offices calculate a student’s high school GPA for the purpose of admissions review at that particular
college or university.
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 27
Appendix C
Below, you will find the links for the various resources found throughout this report:
Admissions Standards for State University System and the University of Massachusetts:
http://www.mass.edu/foradmin/admissions/documents/DHEGuidanceDocumentAdmissions%20Standards_Final.pdf
American Institute for Research’s Early College, Continued Success national impact study:
http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/AIR%20ECHSI%20Impact%20Study%20Report%20NSC%20Update%2001-14-14.pdf
Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership:
http://www.mass.edu/strategic/read_cdep.asp
Jobs for the Future’s Early College Initiative:
http://www.earlycolleges.org
Jobs for the Future’s Early College Expansion national report:
http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/publications/materials/Early-College-Expansion_031714.pdf
Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 15a, Section 39:
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleII/Chapter15A/Section39
MassGrad Initiative:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/massgrad/
Northern Essex Community College’s Transferable Agreements:
http://www.necc.mass.edu/academics/support-services/transfer/transfer-agreements/
Pathways to Prosperity, Meeting the Challenge of Young Americans for the 21st Century:
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/documents/Pathways_to_Prosperity_Feb2011-1.pdf
Race to the Top, STEM Early College High Schools:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/initiatives/stem.html
STEM Certificate Program:
www.stemcertificate.org
Youth CareerConnect:
http://www.doleta.gov/ycc/
Massachusetts Landscape of Early College, 28